Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hirakata and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Hirakata: $1,220 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hirakata
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,220
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hirakata and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hirakata and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,220 in Hirakata versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

  • Hirakata $1,220
  • Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,929 in Hirakata versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

  • Hirakata $1,929
  • Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,638 in Hirakata versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

  • Hirakata $2,638
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Hirakata costs roughly 55% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hirakata is 10% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.59 ¥1,356
$20.63 $20.63
-58.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.38 ¥4,958
$84.6 $84.6
-62.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.97 ¥786
$12.07 $12.07
-58.82%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ¥458
$5.48 $5.48
-47.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ¥204
$3.80 $3.80
-66.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ¥114
$2.47 $2.47
-70.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.07 ¥486
$8.05 $8.05
-61.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 ¥611
$8.88 $8.88
-56.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 ¥228
$1.11 $1.11
29.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.31 ¥206
$3.72 $3.72
-64.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.49 ¥867
$3.37 $3.37
62.91%
Eggs
$2.05 ¥324
$4.32 $4.32
-52.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.33 ¥1,474
$13.13 $13.13
-28.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.93 ¥1,095
$14.15 $14.15
-51.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.25 ¥2,725
$16.33 $16.33
5.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 ¥536
$4.55 $4.55
-25.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 ¥307
$1.46 $1.46
32.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 ¥489
$4.71 $4.71
-34.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.13 ¥652
$4.15 $4.15
-0.48%
Potato (1kg)
$4.03 ¥637
$2.58 $2.58
56.20%
Onion (1kg)
$3.82 ¥603
$2.35 $2.35
62.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ¥216
$1.77 $1.77
-23.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 ¥138
$2.14 $2.14
-58.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.94 ¥623
$10.10 $10.10
-60.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.69 ¥1,531
$15.19 $15.19
-36.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 ¥412
$2.82 $2.82
-7.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 ¥495
$3.44 $3.44
-9.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.54 $1.54
-3.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ¥8,365
$40.99 $40.99
29.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 ¥512
$2.80 $2.80
15.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 ¥510
$1.60 $1.60
101.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.59 ¥2,462
$34.34 $34.34
-54.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥168
$0.94 $0.94
12.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K ¥3.5M
$34.0K $34.0K
-35.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$26.8K $26.8K
-42.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 ¥18.1K
$223 $223
-48.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.50 ¥3,713
$58.9 $58.9
-60.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.41 ¥4,805
$70.6 $70.6
-56.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.5 ¥8,291
$57.7 $57.7
-9.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.47 ¥1,022
$16.53 $16.53
-60.86%
Cinema Ticket
$11.43 ¥1,806
$14.26 $14.26
-19.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$513 ¥81.1K
$1,511 $1,511
-66.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K ¥2.1M
$20.9K $20.9K
-37.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.40 ¥7,646
$51.3 $51.3
-5.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.44 ¥4,810
$44.17 $44.17
-31.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.5 ¥9,710
$87.0 $87.0
-29.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 ¥14.3K
$104 $104
-13.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$525 ¥83.0K
$1,940 $1,940
-72.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ¥53.1K
$1,316 $1,316
-74.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,121 ¥177.1K
$3,664 $3,664
-69.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥115.2K
$2,565 $2,565
-71.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,201 ¥663.7K
$7,354 $7,354
-42.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ¥273.3K
$3,129 $3,129
-44.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hirakata
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,904 ¥300.9K
$5,286 $5,286
-63.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
6.79
-70.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hirakata: October 20, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hirakata
$336
Austin, TX
$1.3K 292% $980
Groceries & Markets
Hirakata
$308
Austin, TX
$406 31.8% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hirakata
$168
Austin, TX
$352 109% $184
Eating Out
Hirakata
$150
Austin, TX
$350 134% $201
Clothing & Footwear
Hirakata
$104
Austin, TX
$129 24.1% $25
Getting Around
Hirakata
$78
Austin, TX
$58 26% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Hirakata
$75
Austin, TX
$86 14.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Hirakata and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 178% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Hirakata vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $406 per month, with Hirakata cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Hirakata
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
13:07 1:07 PM
23:07 11:07 PM
14 h behind Hirakata
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
402,495
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hirakata Austin, TX 10,870 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hirakata
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Hirakata vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hirakata or Austin, TX?
Hirakata wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hirakata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hirakata or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 178% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hirakata compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $525 in Hirakata versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Hirakata compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,220 per month in Hirakata versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Hirakata compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Hirakata runs roughly 29% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Hirakata or in Austin, TX?
At $1,220 in Hirakata versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hirakata but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Hirakata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Hirakata or Austin, TX?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Hirakata compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Hirakata and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Hirakata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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